Question

Speaking Up in Meetings

Barbara J. Krumsiek of the Calvert Group recently talked about the style of meetings that take place in her organization: I think it can be a little jarring actually for people who are used to perhaps a little more civility. I think we’re civil, but we’re direct. I don’t like meetings if my direct reports leave the room and turn to somebody and say, “Can you believe someone said that?” And so I try to explain to them by example that if you find yourself doing that when you leave the room, or shaking your head, or kicking yourself for not having said something, or thinking that there were real problems with what somebody said, next time you have to say it in the room. You have to, or you will not be the most impactful member of this team. When I first got to Calvert, there was a lot of that. And I had one of my direct reports send me an email, complaining about something somebody else said. I just got back to them and said, “I’m not going to read this because I don’t see the person you’re talking about CC’d on it. So if you CC them on it and send it back to me, I will deal with it.” Well, I never had to get it back, because once the person really dealt with it, it was fine. Based on Krumsiek’s comments, answer the following:

A. What types of expectations are there for meetings at the Calvert Group?

B. What does Krumsiek say about the nature of directness and civility at meetings? Does this imply the meetings are not civil?

C. How does Krumsiek deal with complaints about other team members?

D. What are three principles from Krumsiek’s comments that you can apply to how you approach team communication?

Answer 1

Requirement a: The expectations of the company at the team meetings are frank and direct conversations. The team members should not only put forward their unbiased point of view but also appreciate other member viewpoints.

Requirement b: She says that they are civil which means they respect the dignity and importance of other team members but they provide direct feedback and also expect other team members to provide direct and constructive feedback which some team members may find uncivil.   

Requirement c: Whenever a team member has a complaint against other team members, she asked the complaining team member to send a copy of complaint against whom he is complaining.

Requirement d:

• Appreciate other team members’ viewpoints.
• Provide direct and constructive feedback.
• Take other team members into confidence.